System for automatically loading cars.



No. 876,737. PATENTBD JAN. 14, 1908.

W. J. SELLBGK. y

SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIGALLY LOADING GARS.

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PATENTED JAN.'14,`1908. W. J. SBLLEGK.

SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIGALLY LOADING CARS.

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No. 876,737. PATENTED JAN.14, 1908.`

W. J. SBLLECK.

SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIGALLY LOADING GAR-S.

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No. 876,737. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.

I W. J. SELLECK. SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOADING GARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYlS, 1906.

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WILLIAM J. SELLEGK, OF RIVERSIDE, CONNECTICUT.

SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY LADING CARS.

Speccaton of Letters Patent,

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application filed July 13.1906. Serial No. 326.062.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. SELLECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in System for Automatically Loading Cars, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to loading apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for automatically loading material upon moving cars or other conveyances.

In loading material, such as coal, upon cars it has heretofore been necessary to stop each car in proper position relatively to the loading apparatus and allow it to remain stationary while being filled. Such an'operation requires considerable time, as it is necessary that each car should be located in an exact position to receive the material and remain in such position while receiving the material.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an automatic loading system by means of which a moving car will successively receive a predetermined quantity of material automatically as it passes a plurality of points, the amount of material received at each point being so related tothe capacity of the car that when the car has passed all of the loading'points it will have received the desired load.

A further object of my invention is to provide a loading apparatus by means of which the moving cars may be successively filled with material automatically without requiring them to stop and regardless of the relation in point of time of the various cars to each other.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a system for automatically loading material upon moving cars which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong and durable in use, and efficient in operation.

The embodiment of my invention herein disclosed may be generally described as consisting of a chute, a tilting counterbalanced receptacle for receiving the material from the chute, means for delivering predetermined. quantities of material from the chute to the receptacle, a counterbalanced tilting frame upon which the receptacle is pivotally mounted, mechanism for disconnecting the operation of said delivering means actuated by the tilting of the frame when a predetermined quantity of material has been delivl ered to the receptacle', means actuated by a passing car for dumping the material from the receptacle into the car, and mechanism for preventing the operation of said delivering means until the receptacle returns to its initial position.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which,

Figure l is a plan view; Eig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2 2 Eig. 4 of one loading apparatus on an enlarged scale; Eig. 3 a horizontal sectional view on line 3 3 Fig. 2 Fig. 4 a vertical sectional view on line 4 4 Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 a detailed view of the clutch.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In Fig. l I have illustrated a plurality of my im roved automatic loading devices indicate( by reference characters A, A2 St A3. a a2 indicate the rails of a track upon which the loading devices are supported. cates a track for cars to be loaded, over which the loading devices are located. Any desired number of loading devices may be employed, each device adapted to automatically deliver to a passing car such a quantity of material that when the car passes the series of devices it will receive a complete load.

Each loading device has a platform C upon which is supported a hopper B leading to a chute b. usual construction may also conveniently be mounted on the platform C by means of which material such as coal, may be deposited in the hopper. A is the boom of each of the unloading towers. The platform C may be mounted upon a suitable supporting structure comprising uprights- C and transverse timbers secured thereto. Wheels cindicated in dotted lines in Eig. 1 are provided beneath the supporting structure which engage the rails a a2 so that the structures may be moved along the rails to any desired positions as for instance along a wharf.

Located within the chute b is an oscillating measure comprising walls D2 t D3 extending An unloading tower of anyl a indiat an obtuse angle from each other. The measure is supported by journals engaging brackets beneath the chute, as indicated at d. Extending from the wall D3 of the measure is a frame D. A curved wall D extends from the outer end of the frame D to the top edge of the wall D3 as' clearly shown in Fig. 2. A link d is pivotally con nected at its upper end to the frame D and at its lower end to a crank arm e the latter being fixed to the end of a shaft E j ournaled in brackets mounted on timbers C3. Collars e4, see Fig. 3, are clamped upon the shaft E intermediate of the brackets c4 to prevent the shaft from moving'axially. Fixed upon the shaft E is a worm wheel e which meshes -with a worm j' fixed upon a shaft F, the latter being journaled upon timbers c3 at each side of the worm. The shaft F extends through brackets c c xed to the uprights C of the supporting structure. A belt rpulley F is mounted upon the shaft F and is adapted to be clutched thereto. A belt j" passes around the pulley F and also around a wheel g fixed to a shaft r1 which is rotated by a motor G of any suitable construction.

H indicates a receptacle located beneath the end of the chute b and rovided with journals 7L 7a2 engaging brac ets upon the side beams K t K2 of an oscillating frame. The side bars of the frame are mounted to oscillate upon underlying beams K3 & K4 fixed at their ends to the supporting structure beneath the platform. The outer ends of the parallel side beams K K2 of the oscillating frame are united by an end beam K upon which are supported. weights W which serve as a counterbalance. oscillating frame opposite the weights supports a plate H which closes the end of the receptacle H when it is in position to receive material from the chute.

A shaft N is journaled beneath the side bars K" K2 adjacent the ends thereof which support the plate H. Hooks n are fixed to shaft N and are adapted to extend beneath the edge of the receptacle H and support the same in position to receive the material from the chute. The' shaft N is surrounded by a spring n2 the tension of which tends to oscillate the shaft N to a position to project the hooks beneath, the receptacle. The shaft N projects at one end beyond the oscillating frame and is provided with a depending arm n3 fixed thereon. The lower end of the arm n3 extends between a pair of strips Ml such strips being supported at one end by a link m2 de ending from the bar K2. The opposite encs of the strips M are pivotally connected to an arm m the upper ends of which are pivotally secured to a rod M. Depending from the strips N is a lever m adapted to be engaged by an obstruction on a assing car to oscillate the strips M. A bo t m3 passes through the strips M and The end of theserves as an obstruction to engage the arm aaywhen the links are oscillated and thereby rock the shaft N. In order that the shaft N may not be oscillated too far by the spring n2 stop finger n is fixed to the shaft and engages the adjacent end bar of the oscillating frame.

A bracket O is secured to the beam K3 and pivotally supports at its upper end a bell crank lever 0. One end of the bell crank lever is connected by a link o with an ear fixed to the bar K of the oscillating frame. The other end of the bell crank lever is connected by a link o2 to the lower end of a lever O2 the upper end of the latter being pivotally supported upon a beam C4 of the supporting structure. The lever O2 is provided with a ring intermediate of its ends through which the shaft F extends. Intermediate of the ring on the lever O2 and a block Q splined on the shaft F, is a spring p. A yoke P loosely surrounds and engages a groove in a circular periphery of the block Q. A link p2 is pivotally connected at one end to the yoke P and is provided with a slot therein through which a pin extends from the lever O2. li R2 indicate clutch members pivotally connected to a block R fixed upon the shaft F. Toggle links r are interposed between the clutch members and the block Q.

f3 indicates a disk rigidly carried by the pul ley F and having in its periphery a groove with which the clutch members engage.

P indicates a strip secured at one end to the yoke P and having at its other end a hook p. p3 indicates a bracket projecting from the plate H through which the strip P loosely extends. Pivoted. upon the plate H is a lever S the lower end of which is adapted to be engaged b y the hook jp. A spring s is provided, the tension of which tends to swing the lever into engagement with the hook. The upper'end of the lever S extends above an angle beam s carried across the top of the receptacle H so that when the receptacle is in its closed position relatively to the plate H the lower end of the lever S will be held out of engagement with the hook P.

In order that the rotation of the receptacle H about its journals may be limited, a chain Il extends from an eye Z fixed upon the bar K of the oscillating frame and is connected at its other end to an eye Z projecting from a bracket fixed to the top edge of the receptacle H. In order that the strain uponv the chain may be relieved, a resilient device such as indicated at L is inserted therein. Such device may be conveniently constructed as shown in Fig. 4 in which a spring is interposed between two plates united by rods so as to be capable of moving towards each other and thereby compressing the spring. A chain and resilient device such as above described is preferably interposed also between the bar K2 of the oscillating frame and the opposite side of the receptacle H. T indicates the top of a car which travels upon the track A and is adapted to receive a predetermined quantity of material from each of the loading apparatus. The car T is provided with any suitable obstruction to engage the lever m such for instance as an angular bracket t supported in socket t sccured to the car T as shown in Fig. 2.

B2 indicates a depending adjustable partition located within the upper end of the chute by means of which the' amount of material which may pass into the measure may be regulated. When hard coal is loaded by the apparatus the partition is swung into the position shown in Fig. 2 thereby restricting the passage-way between the bottom of the chute and the lower edge of the partition and consequently preventing' the coal from running over the top of the oscillating measure. The partition may be held in the position shown by any suitable means, such for instance as a beam B* one end of which detachably engages plates b4 on the partition while the other end is supported upon a cleat Zr fixed to a post B3. The outer end of the beam rests against the post B and thereby securely holds the partition in the inclined position shown. When large coal is loaded. by the apparatus the beam b4 is removed so that the partition swings by gravity into a vertical position thereby increasing the passage-way between the bottom of the chute and the lower edge of the partition so that large lumps of coal may pass into the oscillating measure.

The operation of my improved automatic loading apparatus is as follows: The motor G rotates the shaft F through the interposed belt F and pulleys engaged thereby. The rotation of the shaft F is transmitted to the shaft E through the interposed worm and worm wheelf and c respectively. rFhe rotation of the shaft E rotates the crank arm e thereon which, through the link d swings the frame D upwardly and downwardly about the pivotal connection d. The upward and downward movement of the frame D oscillates the measure so that when the frame reaches its lowest position, the wall Dvof the measure alines with the bottom wall of the chute and the wall D2 closes the lower end of the chute while, when the frame is in its highest position as shown in Fig. 2, the wall D2 alines with the bottom wall of the chute and the material falls by gravity from the measure into the receptacle H. The curved wall D prevents the material from interfering with the operation of the measure. lVhen, through the successive oscillations of the measure, the receptacle H has received a predetermined quantity of material the supporting frame upon which the receptacle is pivoted, oscillates about its journals /c so that the rear end thereof upon which the weights latter.

W are supported rises and the front end falls and rests upon the under-lying beams K3 & K4. The oscillation'of the frame swings the bell crank lever through the medium of the interposed link o in a direction to swing the lever O2 towards the right in Fig. 2 thereby moving the block Q along the shaft F through y the medium of the yoke P and the link p2. Such movement of the block Q through the toggle links r swings the clutch members R R2 out of engagement with the ring F? thereby permitting the belt pulley F to rotate idly upon the shaft F without rotating the rThe operation of the measure is consequently discontinued so that no further material will be delivered to the receptacle. The movement of the block Q to the right carries with it the strip P and locates the hook p thereon in position to be engaged by the lower end of the lever S when the latter is permitted to be oscillated by the spring s upon the dumping of the receptacle. After the receptacle H has received from the chute a quantity of material determined by the weights l/V, it is ready to discharge the material into a passing car immediately upon the obstruction t on the car engaging the lever m and thereby oscillating the strips M. The oscillation of the strip M causes the bolt m3 to engage the lower end of the lever n3 thereby oscillating the shaft N against the tension of the spring a2 and removing the hooks n from beneath the receptacle. The weight of the material in the receptacle immediately oscillates the same about its trunnions 7L 7b2 so that the material is discharged from the receptacle to the car. The chains L limit the downward movement of the receptacle so that immediately upon the material being discharged therefrom the counter balancing weight 7L will return the same to the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the hooks fa will be projected beneath the end thereof. The weights W serve to return the frame to the position shown in Fig. 4. The oscillation of the frame by the weights W oscillate the bell crank lever o so that the lever O2 is swung towards the left in Fig. 2 which, through the interposed spring Y moves the block Q along the shaft F. Such movement of the block through the toggle links forces the friction clutches R R2 against the friction surface f 2 of the belt pulley F thereby operatively connecting the motor to the shaft F. The rotation of the shaft F causes the measure in the chute to resume its oscillations with the result that material is again delivered to the receptacle.

In order that there may be no danger of material being delivered to the receptacle H until it has returned to its initial position and is supported by the hooks a, I provide mechanism for preventing the rotation of the shaft F after the oscillating frame has returned to its initial position unless the receptacle has also returned to its normal position with its lower edge supported by the hooks. When the receptacle H oseillates downwardly to dump its load the angle iron s no longer holds 'the leverv S in the position shown in F ig. 4, but permits the lever to be loscillated by the spring s so that its lower end engages the hook p thereby retaining the block Q locked in such a position that the clutch members are out of engagement with the friction surface onA the pulley. When the oscillating frame returns to its normal position and thereby swings the lever O2 towards the left it merely compresses the spring p owing to the slot and pin connection between the lever and link p2. Vhen, however, the receptacle I-I returns to its'normal position the angle iron s thereon engages the upper end of the lever S and oscillates the same so as to disengage its lower end from the hook p. The block Q is iminediately moved towards the left by the tension of the spring p thereby actuating the clutching members to lock the belt pulley to the shaft F.

Each one of the several loading apparatus is constructed to operate as above explained so that as the car successively passes the several apparatus it will receive a predetermined amount of material, the amount received from each apparatus being such that the car will receive the desired load by passing all of the apparatus.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an improved automatic loading apparatus by means of which cars may be 'filled with material as they pass along a track without requiring them to stop.

' Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic loading system, the combination with a plurality of loading apparatus, of means at each apparatus actuated by a moving conveyance for depositing a predetermined quantity of material in said conveyance, whereby the conveyance will be loaded by the quantities of material separately deposited therein as it successively passes the several loading apparatus.

2. In an automatic loading system, the combination with a plurality of movable loading apparatus, of means at each apparatus actuated by a car moving relatively thereto for depositing a predetermined quantity of material in said car whereby the car will be loaded by the quantities of material separately deposited therein as it successively passes the several loading apparatus.

3. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of means for delivering a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle, and means controlled by a conveyance moving relatively to said apparatus for discharging the niaterial from the receptacle to the conveyance.

4. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of means for delivering a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle, and means controlled by a conveyance moving relatively to said apparatus for oscillating said receptacle to discharge the materia therefrom into the conveyance.

5. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of means for delivering a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle, means controlled by a conveyance moving relatively to said apparatus for oscillating said receptacle to discharge the material therefrom into the conveyance, and means for automatically returning said receptacle to its initial position.

6. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of means for delivering a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle,

means controlled by a conveyance moving relatively to said apparatus for oscillating said receptacle to discharge the material therefrom into the conveyance, and a weight for couiiterbalancing said receptacle to return the same to its initial position after the discharge of the material therefrom.

7. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of means for delivering a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle, means controlled by a conveyance moving relatively to said apparatus for discharging the material from the receptacle to the conveyance, and means for preventing the delivery of material to said receptacle until it is restored to its initial condition after the discharge of material therefrom.

8. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof,

of means for delivering a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle, means controlled by a conveyance moving relatively to said apparatus for oscillating said receptacle to discharge the material therefrom into the conveyance, means for automatically returning said receptacle to its initial position, and means for preventing the delivery of material to said receptacle until it returns to its initial position.

9.` In an automatic loading apparatus, the

combination with a receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of a measuring device for delivering material to said receptacle, means for discontinuing the operation of said device when the receptacle contains a predetermined quantity of material, and means controlled by a'car moving relatively to said apparatus for discharging the material from the receptacle to the car.

10. In an automatic loading apparatus, vthe combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of a measuring device for delivering material to said receptacle, means for discontinuing the operation of said device when the receptacle contains a predetermined quantity of material, means 4controlled by a car moving relatively to said apparatus for discharging the material from the receptacle to the car, and means for preventing the operation of said measuring device until the receptacle returns to its initial position.

11. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with a chute to which material is supplied, of a receptacle located beneath said chute for receiving material therefrom, a measuring device located within said chute for delivering material to said receptacle, and means controlled by a car moving relatively to said apparatus for discharging the material from said receptacle to the car.

12. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, an oscillating frame upon which said receptacle is pivotally mounted, means actuated by the tilting of said frame upon the delivery of a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle to discontinue the delivery of material thereto, and means controlled by a car moving relatively to said receptacle for permitting the same to oscillate and thereby discharge the material therefrom to the car.

13. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material vfrom a supply thereof, an oscillating frame upon which said receptacle is pivotally mounted, means actuated by the tilting of said frame upon the delivery of a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle to discontinue the delivery of material thereto, means controlled by a car moving relative to said receptacle for permitting the same to oscillate and thereby discharge the material therefrom to` the car, means for automatically returning said receptacle to its initial position, and means for preventing the delivery of material to said receptacle until it returns to its initial position.

14. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with a counterbalanced oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of a counterbalanced oscillating frame upon which said receptacle is pivotally mounted, means actuated by the tilting of said frame upon the delivery of a predetermined quantity of material to said receptacle to discontinue the delivery thereto, and means controlled by a car moving relatively to said apparatus to permit the oscillation of said receptacle to discharge the material therefrom to the car.

15. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with a chute to which material is supplied, of a counterbalanced oscillating receptacle located beneath said chute for receiving material therefrom, means for controlling the delivery of material from said chute to said receptacle, a counterbalanced oscillating frame upon which said receptacle is pivotally mounted, means for discontinuing the delivery of material to said receptacle actuated by the oscillation of said frame, means actuated by a passing car for permitting said receptacle to oscillate to discharge the material therefrom to the car, and means for preventing the delivery of material to said receptacle until it returns to its initial position.

16. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, an oscillating frame upon which said receptacle is pivotally mounted, oscillating hooks carried by said frame upon which said receptacle is normally supported, means actuated by the oscillation of said frame to discontinue the supply of material to said receptacle, and means actuated by a car moving relatively to said apparatus for oscillating said hooks from beneath said receptacle to permit the latter to swing downwardly and deliver the material therefrom to the car.

17. In an automatic loading apparatus the combination with an oscillating receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, means for discontinuing the supply of material to said receptacle, a plate relative to which said receptacle oscillates for closing and opening an end thereof, and means actuated by a car moving relatively to said apparatus for permitting said receptacle to swing downwardly away from said plate and thereby discharge the material into the car.

18. In an automatic loading apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for receiving material from a supply thereof, of means for delivering material to said receptacle, a motor for actuating said means, means for discontinuing the operation of said first means by said motor, and means controlled by a car moving relatively to said apparatus for discharging the material from said receptacle to the car.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIANI J. SELLECK.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON, HARRY S. GAITHER. i 

